fontina

Cauliflower is perhaps the least appreciated member of the large family of cruciferous vegetables, no doubt due to memories of encountering it boiled, flabby and timidly seasoned, if seasoned at all. When cooked properly, it is a delight. Cauliflower can stand up to rather bold seasoning, in fact. In this recipe, it gets garlic, sage, red pepper and capers. And it is browned in olive oil, which further enhances the flavor. If you want a terrific side vegetable, just serve the sautéed cauliflower and skip the rigatoni. But combining the cauliflower with large-format pasta, pecorino cheese and bread crumbs, then baking it until crisply golden, makes for a splendid meal.

Rigatoni and Cauliflower al Forno

rigatoni or other large pasta shape

cauliflower,

olive oil

Salt and pepper

capers, roughly chopped

garlic cloves,

red pepper flakes,

lemon zest

cheese

bread crumbs

flat-leaf parsley,

Cook the rigatoni in well-salted water according to package directions, but drain while still quite al dente. (If directions call for 12 minutes cooking, cook for 10 instead.) Rinse pasta with cool water, then drain again and set aside.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut cauliflower in half from top to bottom. Cut out tough core and stem any extraneous leaves. Lay cauliflower flat side down and cut crosswise into rough 1/4-inch slices. Break into smaller pieces.

Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add cauliflower slices, along with any crumbly pieces, in one layer. (Work in batches if necessary.) Let cauliflower brown and caramelize for about 2 minutes, then turn pieces over to brown the other side. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork. It’s fine if some pieces don’t brown evenly. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add capers, garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped sage, sage leaves and lemon zest and stir to coat.

Put cooked cauliflower mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add cooked rigatoni and fontina and toss. Transfer mixture to a lightly oiled baking dish. Top with Romano cheese, then with bread crumbs and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. (Dish may be completed to this point up to several hours in advance and kept at room temperature, covered.)

Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until top is crisp and golden. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley before serving.

Ruth's Chris Potatoes au Gratin Copycat

butter

onion,

garlic clove,

salt

black pepper

chicken stock

heavy cream; add a little more if it doesn’t cover potatoes

parsley

Melt the butter, and sauté the onion over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the stock, cream, and potatoes and bring to a good (not a boil) simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the potatoes are nearly tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste. Gently stir.

Transfer the mixture to a buttered 8 x 8&#8243; or equivalent sized baking dish (or about five to six individual casseroles). Top with the cheese and bake in the preheated oven for about 10 -15 minutes for the casserole (a little less for individual casseroles) or just until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted. Cool a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Note: Although our family loves this just as is, this is a very creamy dish with cream, potatoes and cheese, and just a little onion, one clove garlic and the bit of chicken stock for additional flavor. It&#8217;s fine to taste the sauce before you transfer to the casserole and be sure to adequately season with salt and pepper. If you are a person who prefers a dish that is more highly flavored, feel free to increase the onion and/or garlic to taste.

Cacio e Pepe Pie recipe | Epicurious.com

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Fontina cheese (about 2 cups)

half-and-half

Tbsp. black pepper,

kosher salt

bucatini

ricotta

eggs

extra-virgin olive oil,

Arguably one of the coziest autumnal dishes you can make in under an hour, this cheesy pumpkin pasta doesn’t rely on a roux. Instead, the sauce is made simply by blending canned pumpkin, cream and vegetable stock. And because the pasta bakes in a flash — just 10 to 15 minutes at 500 degrees — the most time-consuming part of the entire recipe is grating all that cheese.

Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta With Kale

Butter,

pasta shells

kale (about 1 pound), ribs removed, chopped into bite-size pieces

red-pepper flakes

rosemary,

thyme,

Parmesan

pumpkin purée

kosher salt,

heavy cream

vegetable broth

Heat oven to 500 degrees and butter a shallow 2-quart/9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook the pasta in the boiling water for 4 minutes, adding the kale for the last minute. Drain the pasta and kale, rinse under cold water, then transfer to a large bowl along with the red-pepper flakes and the chopped herbs. 

In a blender, add the pumpkin, garlic, salt, pepper, cream and vegetable broth. Blend until smooth. (If you don’t want to use a blender, add the pumpkin, salt and pepper to a large bowl and use a spoon to break it up into a smooth mixture. Slowly whisk in the cream and vegetable broth until mixture is smooth, then grate in the garlic.) Add the sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Add in most of the grated cheese, reserving about 1/2 cup, and stir to coat.

Transfer the pasta into the baking dish, then dollop the ricotta over top and sprinkle remaining grated cheese. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until brown and bubbly. If you want the pasta really browned, broil it for 3 to 5 minutes, watching carefully. Allow the dish to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and garnish with additional chopped herbs before serving.

Cheesy Baked Butternut Squash Polenta recipe | Epicurious.com

Tbsp. kosher salt,

coarse polenta (about 5 oz.)

butternut squash

milk

nutmeg

Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

sage leaves

lb. Fontina cheese, cut into 1/2" pieces

Breakfast Calzones recipe | Epicurious.com

(1-lb. 6-oz.) balls of pizza dough, room temperature

All-purpose flour (for surface)

Fontina cheese, grated (about 2 cups)

whole-milk fresh ricotta

nduja

Tbsp. finely chopped rosemary

Kosher salt

This fancy mac and cheese recipe is made with gruyere and fontina cheese for an elevated flavor profile that’s both refined and sophisticated. Topped with toasted garlic cornflakes, this gourmet macaroni and cheese is made in a single pan and requires no baking or draining.

Fancy Mac and Cheese

water

macaroni, penne or cavatappi pasta

unsalted butter (divided)

cream cheese

gruyere cheese (grated)

fontina cheese (grated)

cheddar cheese (grated)

corn flakes (slightly crushed)

garlic powder

parsley (chopped)

black truffle oil (optional)

Bring a large stockpot filled with 5 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook 8-10 minutes, or until al dente. If the pasta start looking dry, add another 1/4 cup of water, if needed.While the pasta cooks, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a skillet. Once melted, add the crushed cornflakes and garlic powder. Toss the cornflakes in the melted butter and toast until they’re golden and fragrant. Remove from heat.When pasta is ready, DO NOT DRAIN. The remaining pasta water will help thicken the cheese sauce. Reduce the heat to low and then, to the pasta, add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and the cubed cream cheese. Stir until melted and creamy. Then add the milk, salt and pepper and mix until incorporated.Remove the pot from the heat and gradually stir in the gruyere, fontina and cheddar cheese a half cup at a time. Mix until each addition is melted and a smooth before adding the next. If the sauce is thicker than your care for, add a few tablespoons of milk to thin the sauce to the desired consistency.Finally, top with the toasted garlic cornflakes and chopped fresh parsley. Drizzle lightly with truffle oil, if desired. Serve immediately.

La polenta concia è una ricetta ricca e sostanziosa della tradizione contadina che abbraccia  le aree montane del Nord Italia.

Polenta concia

Farina di mais bramata 500 g

Toma 200 g

Fontina 200 g

Burro 200 g

Olio extravergine d'oliva q.b.

Sale fino q.b.

Pepe nero q.b.

Baked pasta doesn’t need to take every pot in your kitchen or lots of different steps. This weeknight-friendly version uses one skillet, one pot, and plenty of cheese.

One-Pot Baked Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

cheddar cheese

garlic

sage

broccoli rabe

extra-virgin olive oil

sausage

red pepper flakes

pasta

Bon Appétit

Place racks in center and upper third of oven; preheat to 325°. Heat a large pot of water over high. Add several tablespoons of salt and bring to a boil (this is for your pasta).

Grate 12 oz. Fontina cheese on the large holds of a box grater (you should have about 4½ cups). Smash 6 garlic cloves, peel, and coarsely chop. Pick all sage leaves from stems and set aside about 10. Finely chop remaining leaves (you should have about 1 Tbsp.). Trim tough dried ends from 1 bunch of broccoli rabe, then cut stems into 2" pieces. Leave leafy ends long.

Heat a deep, large, ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Add ¼ cup oil and swirl to coat. Remove 1 lb. sausage from casings and add to skillet. Break into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook, undisturbed, until sausage is browned, about 4 minutes. Stir a couple of times and continue to cook, undisturbed again, until sausage is fully cooked through, about 3 minutes longer.

Add garlic, chopped sage, and ½ tsp. red pepper and cook, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes.

Stir in 2 cups half-and-half and simmer until sauce is thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

Gradually add about two-thirds of cheese, bit by bit, stirring constantly and letting cheese melt completely before adding more, until sauce is smooth and thick, about 3 minutes; season with salt and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, cook 1 lb. pasta shells in boiling salted water 2 minutes shy of package instructions (8–10 minutes depending on type). During the last 2 minutes, add all of broccoli rabe to pot with pasta. Drain in a colander and shake several times to remove excess water. Return pasta and broccoli rabe to empty pasta pot.

Add cheesy sausage mixture from skillet to pot with pasta. Stir until pasta and broccoli rabe are coated in sauce, then transfer everything back to skillet.

Cover skillet tightly with foil and bake on center rack until pasta is tender and sauce is bubbling, 30–40 minutes. Let rest a few minutes while you heat broiler.

Remove foil and top with remaining cheese. Toss sage leaves with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl and arrange over pasta. Broil until cheese is browned and bubbling in spots, about 5 minutes (depending on strength of broiler).

Let pasta cool a minute or two before serving.

A more sophisticated take on mac and cheese, this golden-topped casserole has roasted wild mushrooms for a deep, earthy character, and melted fontina for the gooey factor. You can use any kind of mushrooms here. If you can’t get wild ones (also called exotic, and most of them are actually farmed), use whatever is available. The key is to roast them until they are well browned and crisp at the edges so the flavor intensifies. Serve this as a vegetarian main course or as a rich side dish to roast chicken or meats. You can assemble the casserole the day before. Just add a few minutes onto the baking time if it’s cold from the fridge when you pop it into the oven.

Baked Cheesy Pasta With Wild Mushrooms

salt,

black pepper,

rosemary branches

orecchiette, farfalle or other short pasta

fontina cheese, grated (1 1/4 cups)

Parmesan, grated (1/2 cup)

garlic clove, finely grated

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Trim the mushrooms and cut into 1-inch pieces. Toss with the olive oil, the salt, a few grinds of pepper and the rosemary. Spread on a large baking sheet and roast, tossing once or twice, until golden brown and crisped around the edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Discard rosemary.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for at least a few minutes less than the package directs. (You want the pasta very al dente; it will finish softening in the sauce.) Drain well.

Turn oven up to 500 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the cream, ricotta, fontina, Parmesan, sage, pepper, garlic and a pinch of salt. Stir in the pasta and mushrooms. Arrange in a shallow 2-quart gratin dish or 9- by 13-inch pan. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly and browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes.

Melissa Clark updates the pasta casserole with fontina cheese and wild mushrooms.

This recipe is quite forgiving in that there’s plenty of wiggle room to play. Use whatever herbs and cheeses you have on hand, for example, adjust the spice levels as preferred, and opt for fresh tomatoes if they’re in season, or chopped canned tomatoes instead of whole. You can also veganize the dish entirely by using a nondairy milk and vegan cheese, adding some nutritional yeast if you like. This hearty main needs nothing more than some lightly cooked greens to eat alongside.

Cheesy Baked Polenta in Tomato Sauce

660 milliliters whole milk

salt and black pepper

instant polenta

small yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups 360 grams)

oregano leaves

(14-ounce 410-gram) cans (tins) plum tomatoes,

sugar

fontina cheese

30 grams finely grated Parmesan

Cut out a piece of parchment paper about 16-by-12 inches/40-by-30 centimeters in size and lay onto a clean work surface.

Prepare the polenta: Add the milk, garlic, 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper to a medium saucepan. Bring to a bare simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the polenta, whisking continuously, until completely incorporated and there are no lumps. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring all the while with a spatula. When cooked, the mixture should pull away from the sides of the pan and be quite thick.

Add the Parmesan, stirring for another 30 seconds to melt. Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to the parchment paper. Use your hands to quickly shape the polenta into a large cylindrical shape, about 13-inches/32-centimeters long. Use the parchment paper to help you tighten the cylinder and then gently roll the whole thing in the paper, tightening as you go, then twisting in opposite directions at both ends. Refrigerate to set for about 1 hour, or longer if time allows.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: Add the olive oil to a large, ovenproof cast-iron pan that is roughly 11-inches/28-centimeters wide, and heat over medium-high. Once hot, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes, or until softened and lightly colored.

Stir in the garlic, red-pepper flakes and oregano, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices, sugar, a scant 1/2 cup/100 milliliters water, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Set aside until needed.

Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit/230 degrees Celsius.

Gently unwrap the chilled polenta and transfer to a cutting board. Trim about 1 inch/2 to 3 centimeters off the ends and then cut the polenta into 24 (1-centimeter-thick) slices.

Top the tomato sauce evenly with the sliced fontina, then fan out the polenta slices, overlapping slightly, so that they’re spiraled to cover the top, leaving a 1-centimeter gap from the edge of the pan. Drizzle the polenta with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until polenta is golden in places and the sauce is bubbling. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes to settle.

While the polenta cools, in a small bowl combine all the topping ingredients. Sprinkle a handful of the topping over the polenta and serve the remaining in a bowl alongside. Serve warm.

Finding a brunch dish that feeds a crowd can be a challenge, but this large-scale frittata does just that by layering sausage, kale and fontina with cream-thickened eggs. Use any fresh sausage you like (chorizo, merguez, or hot pork sausage work well), and swap in mild Swiss chard or peppery mustard greens in place of the kale. You can prepare this dish the night before serving by cooking through Step 5 and layering the sausage, vegetables and cheese in the baking dish. Let it warm up slightly at room temperature before adding the eggs, then bake as directed. Baking times will vary depending on how cold or warm the dish is, as well as its depth and ingredients, so keep an eye on the eggs; they should be just set in the center.

Sausage, Egg and Kale Casserole

butter,

hot sausage,

onion

Kosher salt and black pepper

kale leaves (about 3 ounces)

grape tomatoes, halved crosswise

fontina (about 3 ounces)

Parmesan (about 1 ounce)

Aleppo pepper, for finishing (optional)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter a large 2 1/2-quart baking dish.

Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add sausage and cook, stirring to break it up, until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to the baking dish, spreading it in an even layer.

Add 2 teaspoons oil to the skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Add red onion, salt it lightly and cook, stirring frequently, until it starts to take on color, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the baking dish and arrange evenly on top of the sausage.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the skillet and heat over medium. Add kale, season it lightly with salt and pepper, cover and cook, occasionally tossing with tongs until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the baking dish and arrange evenly on top of the onions. Top with the grape tomatoes and fontina.

Whisk together the eggs and cream in a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. (If making ahead of time, wrap the baking dish and egg mixture separately and refrigerate until needed.)

Pour the egg mixture over the ingredients in the baking dish, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until the eggs are just set in the middle, 25 to 30 minutes. (Increase the baking time by about 15 minutes if the components were refrigerated ahead of time.).

Broil until the top is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with Aleppo, if using.

Yes, breakfast calzones. They’re stuffed with salami, eggs, ricotta, and Fontina cheese. Heaven. 

Breakfast Calzones

If you can’t find nduja, a funky and spicy spreadable Italian salami, substitute torn or chopped hot soppressata or a salami with some kick. Make breakfast an occasion by serving these calzones alongside a savory peach and shaved fennel salad, marinated beans with ricotta salata, and torta pasqualina.

Prepare a grill for medium-low heat. Set cast-iron griddle on grill. (Alternatively, heat on stovetop over medium-low. And if you don’t have a cast-iron griddle, use a cast-iron skillet instead and cook in batches.) Cut each piece of dough into quarters for 8 pieces total. Roll out 1 piece of dough to an 8x6" oval. Spoon a heaping ¼ cup Fontina over half of dough and form a well in the center. Dab 2 Tbsp. ricotta and 1 Tbsp. nduja over Fontina, leaving well empty; slip a yolk into the well. Sprinkle with a bit of rosemary and drizzle with oil; season with salt. Moisten edges of dough with water, fold empty side of dough over filling and press together edges to seal. Brush with oil; sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 7 more calzones.

Place calzones, oiled side down, on griddle and cook until deeply browned, pressing gently with a spatula to create contact with griddle, about 5 minutes. Brush oil on the other sides and sprinkle with salt; turn calzones over. Cook until other sides are deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let sit 1 minute before cutting in half.

If you’ve had the pleasure of a cheesy polenta dinner, topped with a creamy-yolked egg, you can imagine how good that combination is at breakfast. This quick casserole for a crowd is exactly that, made elegant and easy so you can have a perfectly cooked portion for each person with very little work. Layer your polenta with anything you desire, whether salami or ham — or keep it vegetable-centric with spinach or oven-roasted tomatoes. Make nests between your toppings and the polenta where the eggs will cook slowly, giving you a soft-cooked finish that’s loaded with flavor.

Cheesy Breakfast Egg and Polenta Casserole

unsalted butter,

polenta

fine sea salt

spinach, kale

basil

Heat oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the center. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch pan and set aside.

Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta and salt, and cook, stirring constantly until the polenta bubbles and pulls away from the pan, about 3 minutes. Vigorously stir in the milk, butter and cheese until smooth and creamy. (It will seem loose.)

Spread the polenta onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer with meat, greens or anything else you desire. Use the back of a large spoon to create 8 small wells in the polenta. Crack the eggs inside, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how set you like your eggs. Let stand for 5 minutes; sprinkle with black pepper and basil and serve warm.

This dip is warm, welcoming, cheesy and has so much flavor.

Cheesy Fontina Chorizo + Caramelized Onion and Artichoke Dip

sweet onion

brown sugar

salt and pepper

chorizo sausage (remove casing if the sausage is from links)

jalapeno

chipotle chilies adobo (minced)

jar marinated artichokes (chopped, 12)

cilantro (chopped)

fontina cheese (shredded)

green onions (sliced for garnish)

warm tortillas (for serving)

tortilla chips or other crackers (for serving)

In a large skillet, add the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Top 30 fontina recipes from across the web

The most viewed fontina recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Rigatoni and Cauliflower al Forno

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Breakfast Calzones recipe | Epicuri...

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Polenta concia

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Gooey, Creamy Mac and Cheese

Ruth's Chris Potatoes au Gratin Cop...

Patate alla savoiarda

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Big Italian Salad

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Chicken Sorrentino

Four Cheese Margherita Pizza

Polpette di pane in padella

Top 30 fontina recipes from across the web

The most viewed fontina recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Rigatoni and Cauliflower al Forno

Ruth's Chris Potatoes au Gratin Cop...

Cacio e Pepe Pie recipe | Epicuriou...

Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta With Kal...

Cheesy Baked Butternut Squash Polen...

Breakfast Calzones recipe | Epicuri...

Fancy Mac and Cheese

Polenta concia

One-Pot Baked Pasta with Sausage an...

Baked Cheesy Pasta With Wild Mushro...

Cheesy Baked Polenta in Tomato Sauc...

Sausage, Egg and Kale Casserole

Breakfast Calzones

Cheesy Breakfast Egg and Polenta Ca...

Cheesy Fontina Chorizo + Caramelize...

Spicy Fontina Spinach, Artichoke an...

Brown Butter Lobster, Sweet Corn an...

Wild Mushroom Pizza with Caramelize...

Three-Cheese Cauliflower Casserole

Gruyere, Mushroom, & Caramelized On...

Ruth's Chris Potatoes au Gratin Cop...

Gooey, Creamy Mac and Cheese

Ruth's Chris Potatoes au Gratin Cop...

Patate alla savoiarda

Truffled Mushroom Pizza with Arugul...

Big Italian Salad

Kale and Fontina Pizza

Chicken Sorrentino

Four Cheese Margherita Pizza

Polpette di pane in padella

The most viewed fontina recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine